Bridging plate and method of making the same



Sept. 26, 1961 J. A. KlLBANE ET AL 3,001,266

BRIDGING PLATE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 1, 1960INVENTORIS JAMES A. K/LBANE SIDNEY H. PALMER .BY M

A TT'ORNEY findSidrrey H. Palmer, "2729 N. Gr'iggs, St. Paul, Minn.Filed July 1, 1960,:Ser. No. M1581 '4 Claims. (Cl. 29---15'5) Theinvention relates broadly to means for moving mobile units from onerailroad flat car to another and, more particularly, to the plates usedto bridge the space between the ends of the coupled iiat cars whereby aunit on one fiat car may :be .moved to an adjacent .fiat

In recent years, the demand for some sort of bridging between railroadfiat cars has increased, particularly with the advent of the semitrailerand its movement by railroad flat car. At present, such bridging is doneby plates made of steel, but provides apla'te which has a weight toogreat for one man to handle Placing of present day plates for use andstoring requires two men to do the job.

To merely replace these iron plates with aluminum pi-ates of suliicieritthickness to carry the load is not the answer, for it has been foundsuch a plate would also be too heavy for one man, and, in addition, thecost would be greater than that of the present iron plate and make thesame prohibitive.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to providehaving aconstruction which a bridging plate of aluminum gives the rigidityneeded, but with a minimum of weight and material.

It shall not be attempted here to set forth and indicate all of thevarious objects and advantages incident to the invention, but otherobjects and advantages will be referred to in or else will becomeapparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive ideawherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of two of the bridging plates in operativeposition on two coupled fiat care, only a portion of the end of eachflat car being shown.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the primary plate portion with thesecondary reinforcing plate portion tacked in position as part ofthe-method of making the plate.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the construction shown in FIGURE 2 ina further advanced stage in the method of construction.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the plate finished according to themethod.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal, side, elevational View of the plate.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the plate.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged end edge view of the plate.

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view of the connecting U-bolt and aportion of the bridging plate.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my bridging plate A includes theprimary flat plate portion 10 which is gen erally of one-half inch, flataluminum stock in rectangw lar form approximately thirty inches byfifty-four inches. Also included is the secondary reinforcing plateportion 12 which is generally of one-half, flat, aluminum stock inrectangular form approximately twelve inches by fiftyfour inches.

The secondary plate portion 12 is placed on the under surface of theprimary plate portion 10 substantially centrally and longitudinallythereof as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 2. In this position, theplate portion 12 is tacked" to the plate portion 10 by small, spaced,

' ing of the plate Patented Sept. 26 .1961

tack welds, as at 1448, FIGURE 2. The rack welds 14-28 are alternatelyand progressively made fimm one end to the other. With the plate portion.12 in the position shown in FIGURE .2 as the first step in theformation of the complete plate A, the plate portion 12 is then furthersecured to the primary plate portion, :as the second step. is done bymaking a back step weld from a to b and then alternating to the pposite:edge of the plate 12 and making a back step eld from c to d. Thenalternating to the first mentioned side of plate portion 12 and makingthe back step weld from e to b and then making a back step weld from fto d. .By back step welding in segments as outlined above the completeweld is made at 30 along one edge of the secondary plate and a completeweld at 32 along the opposite edge. In welding the edges as outlinedabove the result is a double pass fillet weld along the entire length ofeach completed weld 30 and .32.

The alternation of the back step welds outlined above is preferred, butthe same may be changed in the order and placement as long as there isprogressive alternation.

As a result of the steps outlined above, the longitudinal areas of theplate portion ltil betweenthe outer edges of the plates wand 12 areprogressively welded and warped along their entire length at the dges ofthe plate 12 to form the longitudinal deflected portions 34 and 36 whichgive rigidly to the plate. In addition, there is no warpsame remainsrelatively fiat except for the deflected portions 34 and 36 which givethe plate A an arched formation in transverse cross section.

Further provided at one end of the plate A are the spaced, elongatedslots 38 and 40. The numeral 42 designates a U-bolt to which is attacheda small plate 44 which rests on the bed of the flat car B or C, theU-bolt being secured to the flat car bed. The U-bolt is positionedthrough the slot of the plate A whereby the plate may be pivotedupwardly to substantially a vertical position and engaged with the postsuch as D when not in use. The plate may also be flopped over and storedupon the surface of the fiat car when space allows.

It will be noted that a single plate A is connected to the end of theflat car adjacent one corner thereof with a second plate connected tothe opposite end adjacent the corner obliquely disposed to the firstmentioned corner whereby a plate of each of two connected fiat cars maybe placed in parallel relation for bridging between the cars, as shownin FIGURE 1.

It will be seen that l have disclosed a bridging plate and the method ofmaking the same which, due to its construction, allows a relativelylight weight fabrication, but which gives suificient strength andrigidity.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of making a bridging plate having deflected longitudinalportions consisting in forming a primary plate portion and forming asecondary plate portion of a width less than the primary plate portion,then positioning said secondary plate portion on the primary plateportion and securing the same thereto by spaced tack welds along thelongitudinal edges of said secondary plate, then forming spaced weldsections of relatively short lengths alternately and progressively alongthe longitudinal edges of said secondary plate portion to form acontinuous weld on both edges of said secondary plate portion, theformation of said continuous A generally because of my process and theto the primary plate l, first short weld 7 sections in the manneroutlined until a continuous weld continuous welds to deflect and providea bridging plate which is arched transversely.

2. The method of making a bridging plate consisting in forming a flatprimary plate portion and a secondary flat plate portion of a widthless' than the primary plate portion, then securing said secondary plateportion to said primary plate portion substantially centrally thereof bywelding the secondary plate at its longitudinal edges edge of thesecondary plate portion, then forming a second short sectionof weldalong the longitudinal edge of the secondary plate portion opposite tothe first mentioned weld section and forming a third short weld portionalong the longitudinal substantially coextensive therewith, then edge ofthe secondary plate portion extending from the section, then formingfurther short weld is formed on both longitudinal edges of saidsecondary 4 1 plate portion, the formation of the continuous weldscausing portions of the primary plate portion extending longitudinallythereof and outwardly from the continuous welds to deflect and provide abridging plate which is arched transversely.

4. The method of making a bridging plate having deflected longitudinalportions consisting in forming a primary plate portion and forming asecondary plate portion of a width less than the primary plate portion,then positioning said secondary plate portion on the primary plateportion and securing the same thereon, then forming spaced Weld sectionsof relatively short lengths alternately and progressively along thelongitudinal edges of said secondary plate portion to form a continuousweld on both edges of said secondary plate portion, the'foimation ofsaid continuous welds causing portions of the primary plate portionextending longitudinally thereof and outwardly from the continuous weldsto deflect and produce a bridging plate which is arched transversely.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS951,518 Welch et 'al Mar. 8, 1910 2,347,411 Hefier et al Apr. 25, 19442,641,829 Sasso June 16, 1953 2,788,75 1 Russell Apr. 16, 195.7

